A virtual world or virtual universe, sometimes designated by the acronym VU, is a computer based, simulated environment intended for its users to inhabit and to interact with one another therein via avatars. This habitation usually is represented in the form of two or three-dimensional graphical representations of humanoids (or other graphical or text-based avatars). Some, but not all, virtual worlds allow for multiple users. Many VUs are represented using 3-D graphics and landscapes, and are populated by many thousands of users, known as “residents.” Other terms for a VU include metaverse and “3D Internet.”
The world being simulated typically appears similar to the real world, with real world rules such as gravity, topography, locomotion, real-time actions, and communication. This type of virtual world is now most commonly found in massively multiplayer, on-line games (Second Life®, Entropia Universe®, The Sims Online™,), particularly massively multiplayer on-line role-playing games such as EverQuest®, Ultima On-line, Lineage™, World of Warcraft®, or Guild Wars™.
Avatars in virtual worlds have a wide range of business and social experiences, and such experiences are becoming more important since business and social transactions are becoming common in virtual worlds such as Second Life. In fact, the characteristics of an Avatar play important social, business, and other related roles in virtual worlds, such as Second Life®. Second Life® is a privately owned 3-D virtual world, made publicly available in 2003 by Linden Lab. The Second Life virtual world is computed and managed by a large array of servers that are owned and maintained by Linden Lab. The Second Life® client program provides its users (referred to as residents) with tools to view, navigate, and modify the Second Life® world and participate in its virtual economy. Social and business interactions are important in Second Life®, and these interactions include resident interactions in both personal and business meetings.
It should not be assumed that the utility of virtual worlds is limited to game playing, although that is certainly seen to be useful and valuable insofar as it has become a real economic reality with real dollars being exchanged. However, the usefulness of virtual worlds also includes the opportunity to run corporate conferences and seminars. It is also used to conduct virtual world classroom sessions. Governmental and instructional opportunities abound in the virtual world. Accordingly, it should be fully appreciated that the term “virtual” as applied to this technology does not in any way make it less real or less valuable than the “real” world. It is really an extension of current reality. Moreover, it is an extension that greatly facilitates human communication and interaction in a non-face-to-face fashion.